Communications (U)

Overview (U):

(U) This area focuses on developing advanced EHF communications components for satellite communication subsystems and RF satellite crosslinks. It also develops optical communication techniques for satellite communication and evaluates using commercial communication satellite systems for military requirements.

Details (U):

Description (U):

(U) Advanced MMICs: Emphasis has been placed on the development of MMIC technology to support future satellite crosslink systems. With the continued funding of InP developments, further advances in this not yet mature technology can be achieved. InP offers a greater efficiency than GaAs, and as the technology is not as mature as GaAs, further research is warranted. In the mean time, advanced communication technologies must be developed in mature technologies such as GaAs. A 1.1W power module using GaAs MMICs has been developed by one contractor, while another contractor is building a 5-Watt 60-GHz power combiner using similar GaAs MMIC chips.

(U) COMUZE: This program continues to look at the military potential for using commercial satellite communication systems. Spectrum data from 5 sites has been collected and analyzed to determine the availability of uncluttered bandwidth in those sites. In the next phase, PL and its collaborators will set up a testbed and a simulated link to further examine the feasibility of using commercial communication systems. Some issues to be investigated are the probability of detection, jamming, and secure communication.

(U) CDMA and 28 GHz Comm: Finally, two Phase II SBIRs have been initiated that look at high speed terrestrial communications. In one case, the contractor is developing a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) technique that could support data rates of up to 1 Terabit/sec. The other SBIR involves wideband 28 GHz communications that has direct applications to 60 GHz communication applications.